Electric system of a device for deicing the surface of thinwalled structures

ABSTRACT

A system is disclosed for deicing the skin surface of aircraft and comprises a power supply unit to which are connected an electrical power accumulator and a program switch. Low inertia converters such as magnetostrictive vibrators are provided in close proximity to the skin surface and are fed from the power supply unit via key switches each having one input connected to the electrical power accumulator while its second input is connected to the program selector switch such that the switch will produce successive single or bundles of electrical pulses separated by pauses at the converters.

United States Patent [191 3,257,637 6/1966 2 Henry 320 1 Ux Levin 1 5]Dec. 18, 1973 [54] ELECTRIC SYSTEM OF A DEVICE FOR 3,549,964 12/1970Levin et al,.... 244/134 A DEICINGTHE SURFACE OFTHINWALLED 2,946,9247/1960 Gerlach et a1. 320/l X Fry X [76] lnventor: Igor AnatolievichLevin, ulitsa FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Stepana Supruna, 12 kv 741,031,166 10/1956 Germany 1. 114/222 Moscow 'US'S'R- 1,267,554 4/1966Germany 244/134 R [22] Filed: Feb. 15, 1972 Primary ExaminerMi1tonBuchler Assistant Examiner-Gregory W. OConnor 21 l 1 Appl N 226,522Att0mey--Waters, Roditi, Schwartz & Nrssen Related US. Application Datai I [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 826,204, May 20, 1969, 1 1 ABSTRACTPat. No..3,672,610.- A systemis disclosed for deicing the skin surfaceof aircraft and comprises a power supply unit to which ForeignAppllcauon Priority Data 5 are connected an electrical power accumulatorand a June 24, I968 U.S.S.R "874080 program switch. Low inertiaconverters such as magv netostrictive vibrators are provided in closeproximity [52] I US. Cl. .t 244/134 A, 244/134 D to the skin surface andare fed from the power supply [51] Int; Cl..-.;, .L 864d 15/00 unit viakey switches each having one input connected [58'] 4 Field ofSearch..... 114/222; 244/134 R, to the electrical power accumulatorwhile its second 1 244/134 A, 134 D; 320/1; 307/8, 9 input is connectedto the program selector switch such that the switch will producesuccessive single or bun- [56]: References Cited ("es of electricalpulses separated by pauses. at the UNITED STATES PATENTS converters- 3Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDUEC18 ma 3; 779.488

SHEET 18F 2 THE SURFACE OF THINWALLED STRUCTURES This application is acontinuation of earlier copending application Ser. No. 826,204 now us.Pat. No.

The present invention relates to devices for deicing the surfaces ofthin-walled structures under formation of ice formation conditions.

i More particularly the present invention relates to devices for deicingthe skin surfaces of aircraft, vessels 'or ships, as well as thesurfaces of antennas or aerials. However, the invention can alsobe'employed in a variety of transport facilities as well as in adiversity of other type of apparatus, equipment and design structures.

Known'in the present state of the art are devices adapted for deicingthe surfaces of thin-walled structures by virtue of building upcontinuous ultrasonic-or audio-frequency oscillations on thesurfaceof'the skin of the above-mentioned thin-walled structures. Thesedevices feture an electric power system, wherein the power supply unitis connected via an ultrasonicor au-. die-frequency generator toconverters adapted for converting the electrical signals into mechanicalsignals,- said converters being provided in a close proximity to theskin to be deiced. A disadvantage of the above mentioned devices is thata large amount of electric power is continuously consumed for thedeicing process.

It is an object .of the present invention to eliminate theabove-mentioned disadvantage.-

. A main object of the present invention is to provide an electricsystem for a deicer device, wherein the electric power consumptioncontinuously. drawn from a power supply source, issubstantiallydecreased.

Said object is accomplished due to the fact that in an electric system"of a device adapted for deicing the sur-' faces of thin-walledstructures, (e.g.)the,skin surfaces of aircrafts) wherein the powersupply unit is connected via at least one electric power accumulator toconverters capable of converting electric pulses into mechanical pulses,said converters being provided in a close proximity to the skin to bedeiced, a key switch is provided before each of the above-mentionedconverters adapted to convert electric pulses into mechanicalpulses'such as a controlled semiconductor diode one of whose inputs isconnected to the electric power accumulator, whereas a second input isconnected to a program selector switch connected to the power supplyunit, said program selector switch being adapted for switching therespective key switch to said electric power accumulator. 4

Such an electric power system is adapted to feed pulses to the skinsurface to be deiced, said pulses being in fact-a single oscillation,that is to feed single pulses..

The deicer device of the character set forth hereinabove featuringafore-mentioned electric power system, can be referred to as anelectric-pulse deicer.

It is advantageous to feed pulses to the skin' surface to be deicedpulses are essentially a few oscillations, or a so-called bundles ofwaves. This being the case, said object is accomplished by the'provisionof an electric power system, wherein a power supply unit is connectedvia an ultrasonic-or audio-frequency pulse generator, to converterscapable of converting the electric face to be deiced. According to theinvention, provision is made before each of the converters adapted toconvert electric oscillations into mechanical oscillations for a keyswitch such as an electron tube, one of whose inputs is connected to agenerator adapted to produce ultrasonic-frequency electric oscillations,via a modulator controlled by the aforesaid pulse genera tor, whereasthe second input of said key switch is connected to the power'supplyunit through a program selector switch, said program selector switchbeing adapted for switching the respective key switch to said modulator.I i p The deicer device featuring such an electric power system, can bereferred to as an ultrasonic-pulse deicer. .It is advantageous thatprovision be made before each of the converters adapted to convertelectric oscillations into mechanical oscillations, of a power amplifierone of whose inputs. is connected via a programv selector switch toamodulator, whereas the, second input of said power amplifier isconnected to a key switch, one of whose inputs isfconnected via both theelectric power accumulator and the program selector switch to the powersupply unit, while the second input to the fact that should one of theconverters fail tooperate, the rest of the converters, provided incloseproximity to the skin surface to be deiced, continue to operateirrespectively.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinbelow byway of examplewith reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a device for deicingthe surface of athin-walled structure, according tothe in- I vention, and adapted tofeed single pulses;

FIG. 2 is a block-diagram of the device of FIG. 1 adapted to feed abundle of waves, according to the invention; and i FIG. 3 is a blockdiagram of the device of FIG. 1 featuring a power amplifier and anelectric power accumulator, according to the invention.

make the converters capable of converting electric pulses intomechanical pulses, use is made of electromagnetic induction coils 2placed on the inside of the skin to be deiced. The pulses fed to theskin are capable of exerting forces thereupon to create elastic strainswithin the area being deiced. To decrease the losses of electromagneticfield occurring between the electromagnetic induction coil '2 and thesheet skin 1, the gap therebetween must be as small as possible to meetthe manufacturing specifications, whereas the shape of theelectromagnetic induction coil should follow or resemble the shape ofthe skin to be deiced.

A key switch 3 is placed before each of the electromagnetic inductioncoils 2.A controlled diode may be employed as the above-mentioned keyswitch 3. I

The output of the key switch 3 is connected to the electromagneticinduction coil 2. One of the inputs of the aforementioned keyswitch isconnected to an electric power accumulator such as a capacitor 4,whereas the second ,input of said key switch is connected to a programselector switch 5. Both the capacitor 4 and the program selector switch5 are connected to a power supply unit 6 which in turn is connected to apower supply line 8 via a switch 7.

The electric power system according to the abovedescribed circuitry iscapable of feeding single pulses to the electromagnetic induction coil2.

To obtain a bundle of waves which is fed to one of the convertersadapted to convert electric oscillations netostrictive vibrators 9, theoutput of the key switch 10 being connected to the magnetostrictivevibrator 9. One of the inputs of the aforementioned'key switch isconnected to a modulator 11, whereas the second input of said key switchis connected to a program selector switch 12.

One of the inputs of the modulator 11 is connected to an electric-pulseultrasonic-frequency generator 13, whereas the second input of saidmodulator is connected to a pulse generator 14 which is capable ofperiodically feeding square-shaped pulses to the modulator.

The electric-pulse ultrasonic-frequency generator 13, the pulsegenerator 14 and the program selector switch 12, are connected to apower supply unit 15 which in turn is connected to the power supply line8 via the switch 7.

In case of necessity a power amplifier 16 (FIG. 3) may be inserted inthe circuit between each of the mag netostrictive vibrators 9 and thekey switch 10.

One of the inputs of the aforementioned power amplifier is connected viaa program selector switch 17 to the modulator 11, while the second inputof said power amplifier is connected to the output of the key switch 10.

One of the inputs of the key switch 10 is connected to an electric poweraccumulator such as a capacitor 18 which through the program selectorswitch 17 is connected to the power supply unit 15, the second input ofthe above-mentioned key switch 10 being connected to the pulsegenerator.

The electric power system of the device adapted for deicing the surfaceof thin-walled structures, operates as follows.

To provide ice protection of the skin 1 (FIG. 1), the power supply unit6 is connected to the aircraft power supply line 8 either manually orautomatically through the use of the switch 7.

The above-mentionedpower supply unit is capable of supplying current atthe required potential difference to both the capacitor 4 and theprogram selector switch 5. The capacitor 4 is continuously charged bydirect current from the power supply unit and is discharged through theelectromagnetic induction coil 2 with the key switch 3 open.

The program selector switch 5 alternatively switches in each of the keyswitches 3 to the capacitor 4 for the time required for said capacitorto be discharged. After a time interval required for the capacitor to becharged, the program selector switch 5 causes the next key switch toopen.

The electromagnetic induction coil converts the single current pulsereceived from the capacitor into mechanical vibrations imparted to theskin to deice the surface thereof.

The operation of the electric power system in the mode of feeding abundle of waves is as follows:

To provide ice protection of the skin 1 (FIG. 2), the power supply unit15 is connected to the aircraft supply line 8 either manually orautomatically through the use of the switch 7. The above-mentioned powersupply unit is capable of supplying the following required kinds ofelectric power, that is direct current at a required potentialdifference and a low-frequency alternating current.

The electric-pulse ultrasonic-frequency generator 13 is adapted forproducing current at the required frequency and potential difference.The pulse generator 14 is capable of periodically feeding square-shapedpulses both to the modulator 11' and to the respective key switch 10 asconnected by the program selector switch 12.

Upon receiving a square-shaped pulse, the modulator 11 passes a numberof high-frequency current oscillations, that is a bundle of waves,whereas during the space or pause between the square-shaped pulsesinvolved, the modulator 11 inhibits the passage of current oscillationsarriving from the generator 13.

The program selector switch 17 (FIG. 3) features three channels and isadapted to alternatively switch in the aforementioned channels to therespective magnetostrictive vibrator 9 or to a cluster of such vibrators(FIG. 3 illustrates the alternative switching of the above-mentionedchannels to each pair of the magnetostrictive vibrators).

In the vibrator 9, when switched in by the program selector switch 17,the capacitor 18 is continuously charged by direct current and isdischarged through the key switch 10 at the instant the latter is fedwith a square-shaped pulse arriving from the pulse generator 14.

The power amplifier 16, having received simultaneously a pulse delivery,both the powerful current from the capacitor 18 which is beingdischarged and the bundle of waves from the modulator ll, feeds apowerful bundle of waves to the magnetostrictive vibrator 9, the latterbeing capable of converting a bundie of electrical waves into a bundleof mechanical vibrations imparted to the skin to deice the surfacethereof.

In the description of the particular embodiments of the presentinvention disclosed above, specific narrow terminology has been resortedto for the sake of clarity, dealing with specific arrangements ofcomponents and specific adaptation and combination of said componentsinto units. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to thespecific terms so selected, to the specific arrangement of componentsand to the specific combination thereof, and it is to be understood thateach specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in asimilar manner to accomplish a similar purpose and that other. possiblearrangements of components and other combinations of said componentsinto units are possible while carrying out the hereindescribed operationof the electric power system.

Though this invention has been described herein with reference to apreferred embodiment, it will be understood that minor changes in thedetails of construction may be made without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention, as will be readily understood by those skillin the art.

All these alterations and changes will be considered to remain withinthe limits of the spirit and scope of the invention and the claims thatfollow.

What is claimed is:

1. An electric system of a device for deicing the surface of thin-walledstructures, mostly the skin surface of aircrafts, comprising: a powersupply unit; an electric-pulse ultrasonicor audio-frequency generatorconnected to said power supply unit; a pulse generator connected to saidpower supply unit; a modulator one of whose inputs is connected to saidelectric pulse generator, whereas the second input of said modulator isconnected to said pulse generator; a program selector switch connectedto said power supply unit; converters adapted to convert electric pulsesinto mechanical pulses, said converters being provided in a closeproximity to said skin; key switches made as electron tubes and providedone by one before each of said converters; each of said key switchesbeing electrically connected by its input to said respective converter,whereas one of the inputs of said key switches is connected to saidmodulator, while the second input of said key switch is connected toboth the power supply unit and the program selector switch adapted toswitch in the respective key switch to the modulator.

2. An electric system as claimed in claim 1 wherein provided before eachof the converters adapted to convert electric oscillations intomechanical oscillations, is a power amplifier one of whose inputs isconnected via a program selector switch to the modulator, whereas thesecond input of said power amplifier is connected to the key switch, oneof whose inputs being connected via an electric power accumulator and aprogram selector switch, to the power supply unit, while the secondinput of said key switch is likewise connected via the program selectorswitch to the pulse generator.

3. An electric system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said low inertiaconverters are magnetostrictive vibratOlS.

1. An electric system of a device for deicing the surface of thin-walledstructures, mostly the skin surface of aircrafts, comprising: a powersupply unit; an electric-pulse ultrasonic- or audio-frequency generatorconnected to said power supply unit; a pulse generator connected to saidpower supply unit; a modulator one of whose inputs is connected to saidelectric pulse generator, whereas the second input of said modulator isconnected to said pulse generator; a program selector switch connectedto said power supply unit; converters adapted to convert electric pulsesinto mechanical pulses, said conVerters being provided in a closeproximity to said skin; key switches made as electron tubes and providedone by one before each of said converters; each of said key switchesbeing electrically connected by its input to said respective converter,whereas one of the inputs of said key switches is connected to saidmodulator, while the second input of said key switch is connected toboth the power supply unit and the program selector switch adapted toswitch in the respective key switch to the modulator.
 2. An electricsystem as claimed in claim 1 wherein provided before each of theconverters adapted to convert electric oscillations into mechanicaloscillations, is a power amplifier one of whose inputs is connected viaa program selector switch to the modulator, whereas the second input ofsaid power amplifier is connected to the key switch, one of whose inputsbeing connected via an electric power accumulator and a program selectorswitch, to the power supply unit, while the second input of said keyswitch is likewise connected via the program selector switch to thepulse generator.
 3. An electric system as claimed in claim 1 whereinsaid low inertia converters are magnetostrictive vibrators.